Fruit fiber processing system and method

Abstract

A system and method of manufacturing a fiber for use in manufacturing products including providing a feedstock including fiber derived from edible fruit of a plant. An agent that degrades pectin may be applied to the feedstock to form a feedstock mixture. The feedstock mixture may be agitated, and solution including the fiber from the feedstock mixture may be removed. The fiber may be isolated from the solution.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A method of manufacturing a fiber for use in manufacturing products, said method comprising:
 providing a feedstock including fiber derived from edible fruit of a plant; 
 applying an agent that degrades pectin to the feedstock to form a feedstock mixture; 
 agitating the feedstock mixture; 
 removing solution including the fiber from the feedstock mixture; 
 isolating the fiber from the solution; 
 increasing brightness of the isolated fiber using a plurality of successive brightening processes to produce an output fruit fiber at each of the successive brightening processes; and 
 creating a partially dried fiber from at least a portion of the output fruit fiber from one or more of the brightening processes, the physical properties of the fiber include a length of greater than about 0.20 mm. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of successive, brightening processes include applying a bleaching agent to the isolated fiber at each of the brightening processes. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein creating the partially dried fiber includes creating the partially dried fiber by using a method selected from bed-drying, using a P-ring dryer, air drying, creating wet lap, or compressing the isolated fiber. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing a feedstock includes providing a feedstock in the form of pellets or fresh-never dried fruit by-product. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein providing pellets includes providing pellets in a form selected from the group consisting of dried pellets and partially dried pellets. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 , wherein providing fresh-never dried fruit by-product includes providing fresh-never dried fruit by-product from edible fruit selected from the group consisting of albedo, pulp, and endocarp. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing a feedstock includes providing a feedstock derived from fruits, vegetables, nuts, or shells of nuts. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying an agent includes applying an agent that is an acid or base. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein applying an agent includes applying an acid, and wherein applying the agent includes incubating the agent with the feedstock at a pH from about 1.1 to about 2.3. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8 , wherein applying an agent includes applying a base, and wherein applying the agent includes incubating the agent with the feedstock at a pH from about 9.0 to about 12.5. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising neutralizing the charge of the feedstock mixture. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying an agent includes applying an agent that is a pectinase. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein removing the solution including the fiber from the mixture includes removing the solution including between about 2 percent and about 15 percent of fiber. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising measuring the brightness of the partially dried fiber as compared to a second fiber. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 repeating increasing, creating, and measuring with the output fruit fiber until the brightness of the partially dried fiber is substantially similar to the second fiber. 
 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the physical properties of the fiber include a width of greater than about 5 μm. 
     
     
       17. A method of processing fruit by-product to provide fruit fiber for use in the preparation of an article, said method comprising:
 providing a fruit by-product; 
 digesting the fruit by-product to remove pectin and form a digest solution; 
 isolating fiber from the digest solution; 
 bleaching the isolated fiber using a plurality of successive brightening processes to produce an output fruit fiber from one of the brightening processes; and 
 dewatering the output fruit fiber from at least a portion of the output fruit fiber, 
 wherein the physical properties of the fruit fiber include a length of greater than about 0.20 mm. 
 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising measuring the brightness of the partially dried fiber as compared to a second fiber. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 repeating bleaching and dewatering with the output fruit fiber until the brightness of the dewatered fiber is substantially similar to the second fiber. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the isolated fiber is about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about 30%, about 35%, about 40%, about 45%, about 50%, about 60%, about 70%, about 80%, about 90%, about 95%, or about 99% by weight of a blended fiber. 
     
     
       21. The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the physical properties of the fruit fiber include a width of greater than about 5 μm.